Spinning top including nestable caps

ABSTRACT

A top-like toy having a crown and a base upon one of which the toy can be spun on a surface. There is a finned stabilizer on the toy near its waist portion which also spaces the toy from the surface to enable caps placed on either the crown or the base to be thrown from the toy as it loses momentum during spinning. Caps may be placed, dropped, or thrown on the top of the toy when it is spinning.

United States Patent Drohomirecky 1 Apr. 8, 1975 1 SPINNING TOPINCLUDING NESTABLE 2.799.120 7/1957 Pitton 46/85 CAPS 2.839.869 6/1958Lopez 46/65 2.879.066 3/1959 Suther1and.... 46/65 [76] Inventor: WalterDrohomirecky, 164 5th 3.323.491 6/1967 Grzmick 46/64 Rankin. Pa. 151043.700.240 10/1972 San Emeteri0.... 273/95 R [22] Ffled: Sept 1973Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [21] Appl. No.: 400,936 AssistantE.\'aminerMarvin Siskind Artur/rev. Agent, or Firm-Webb. Burden,Robinson & 52 11.5. C1 273/95 R; 273/105.2; 461/615; Webb 124/4 51 Int.Cl A63b 71/02 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field 61 Search 273/95 R. 102 R, 105.2;A PP' y havmg a r wn and a base upon one Of 46/64, 65 85 which the toycan be spun on a surface. There is a finned stablhzer on the toy nearIts warst portlon [56] References Cited which also spaces ttilie toyfrom the surface to enable UNITED STATES PATENTS caps p1aced on em erthe crown or the base to be thrown from the toy as It loses momentumdurmg 1.167.507 1/1916 L1oy d 46/85 Spinning Caps may be placed,dropped' or thrown on 1.264.733 4/1918 W11l1ams 46/85 the to of the towhen it is S innin 2.142.299 1/1939 Begood 46 64 p y p 2.700.246 I/1955Ostberg 46/64 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SPINNING TOP INCLUDINGNESTABLE CAPS This invention relates to an amusement device and moreparticularly to a toywhich is useful in playing a number of games. Thedevice comprises a toplike element having a crown and a base by whichtheeleinent may be spun by a persons fingers so that it rotates on asurface. There are also a plurality of cup-like caps as sociated withthe device which correspond in shape to either or both of the crown orthe base of the top-like element. All of the parts of the game can bemade of plastic, such as polyethylene or polystyrene. The parts may bemade of different colors and different shapes as more particularly setforthhereinafter. I

Top-like toys, sometimes called spinners or merely tops," usuallycomprise a solid or hollow element having at least .one rounded end onwhich the toy is adapted to-pbe rotated or spun on a flat surface. Sometops are spun using only the fingers; others employ strings andthe liketo impart the rotating motion to the tops. A top sometimes has a shaftwhich is used by a person to spin it.

Our toy has a top-like element having two ends, the crown and the base,upon which the toy can be spun on a surface. It also has means, such asfins, located in the waist portion of the element formed by the crownand the base to stabilize the top to prolong the time of a spin. It maybe used in connection with a plurality of cup-like caps which fit overone or both ends of the toy and which may be placed, dropped or thrownonto one end of the element while it is spinning. A variety of games,based on skill and chance, can be played with our toy.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a readingof the following specification taken in conjunction with the appendeddrawings forming a part hereof in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a toy according to a preferredembodiment of the invention showing a cap about to be placed on thetop-like element;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the top-likeelement of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, our toy comprises a generally hollow top-likeelement 1 having a crown 2 and a base 3. The crown includes, preferably,a flat circular portion 4 on its end. Approximately midway between theends of the element, along the waist portion 5 thereof, is a means forstabilizing the element while it is spinning. The preferred stabilizingmeans comprise the fins 6 which, as shown, are outwardly extendingprojections spaced from one another around the waist portion 5 of theelement. The stabilizing means also serves to space the element from asurface 7 when the spinning period is over and the element loses itsmomentum and falls onto the surface.

any ballast used is not essential so long as it does notinterfere withspinning the element. We have found that it is possible to make asatisfactory element merely by using a heavier plastic material for thebase from that used to make the crown without adding any ballast. 4'

As may be appreciated from the drawings, there are.

element ,in playing various games. A preferred cap,

shown, in FIG. 1, comprises a cup-like element having an open end 9,sidewall 10 and a closed bottom 11. The shape ofthe cap may correspondgenerally to either the crown or the base of the element. Preferably fitis adapted to nest with either the crown orjthe basejand itself benested with other caps of the sameshape. At the least, the cap shouldfiton both the crownand the base so that it may be placed there whiletheelement is in motion, i.e., spinning.

The function of the caps is best understood from a description of onegame which may be played by two players using our toy. To play the game,it is necessary to have a top-like element and four caps, which may beof different colors, such as two red and two blue. The players decidewhich end of the element to spin on the surface, for example, the base.The object of the game is to score as many points as possible. Pointsare scored by a player whose caps end up after a spin with their opensides 9 against the surface, or stated otherwise with their bottoms 11up. In turn, a player spins the element 1, and then while the element isspinning on the base, each attempts to place or throw as many of his orher caps as he or she can onto the crown. It will usually be difficultto place all four of the caps on the crown before the element stopsrotating. As the element loses momentum, it will, as usual, tend to falltoward the surface while still spinning and will tend to circle a pointnear the end of the base. Due to the centrifugal force applied to anycaps which were placed on the crown, the caps will tend to be thrownoff. The separation of the caps from the crown is facilitated by thestabilizing means or fins 6 which space the waist 5 of the element fromthe surface permitting the caps to be jettisoned from the crown. Whenthe base is'properly weighted, after a good spin the caps will be throwna considerable distance. Some of the caps will end up on their sides;few of them, if any, will stop moving on their open ends. Since pointsare scored only by players whose cups finish on their open ends, it willusually take a considerable number of spins to score sufficient pointsto win a game.

The foregoing is but one example of a game played with our toy. As manyothers as occur to the players may be played or improvised. More thantwo players can compete and spin for fun.

The caps may be made in many colors; they may be thrown onto either thecrown or the base. In the embodiment described, the caps are shaped likethe crown so they nest better on it. However, for additional difficulty,the caps may be thrown on the base upon which they can be held duringrotation of the element. Of course, when rotation stops, they will bethrown or fall to the surface.

The shape of the element is not limited to the particular shape shownand described herein, nor is the stabilizing means to be limited tofins. The toy is equally satisfactory as an amusement device where thestabilizing means comprise merely an extending continuous projection orcollar located near the waist portion of the element, or where there ismore than one such collar spaced near the waist. The important point isthat the stabilizing means serve as a form of fulcrum for the elementenabling one end of the element to be spaced from a surface as thespinning ceases to permit caps or the like to be separated from thecrown or base.

Having disclosed preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to beunderstood that the invention may be embodied otherwise within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, an amusement device comprising:

A. a top like toy comprising a hollow element having a crown and a baseforming a waist portion near the junction of the crown and the base,said element adapted for upright rotation on the crown and the base;

B. means outwardly projecting from the waist portion for stabilizing theelement during rotation and for spacing the waist portion of the elementfrom a surface after upright rotation of the element upon the surfacehas ceased; and

C. a plurality of caps, each of which is nestable with the crown and thebase and with each other.

2. A toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing and spacingmeans comprise a plurality of fins spaced from one another around thewaist portion of the element.

3. A toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the crown comprises a cup-likemember having a flat portion on its end upon which to spin the toy on aflat surface.

4. A toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the element includes ballast ofa particulate material, loosely carried in the hollow portion fordetermining the center 'of gravity of the element.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the caps are of different colors.

1. In combination, an amusement device comprising: A. a top like toycomprising a hollow element having a crown and a base forming a waistportion near the junction of the crown and the base, said elementadapted for upright rotation on the crown and the base; B. meansoutwardly projecting from the waist portion for stabilizing the elementduring rotation and for spacing the waist portion of the element from asurface after upright rotation of the element upon the surface hasceased; and C. a plurality of caps, each of which is nestable with thecrown and the base and with each other.
 2. A toy as set forth in claim 1wherein the stabilizing and spacing means comprise a plurality of finsspaced from one another around the waist portion of the element.
 3. Atoy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the crown comprises a cup-likemember having a flat portion on its end upon which to spin the toy on aflat surface.
 4. A toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the elementincludes ballast of a particulate material, loosely carried in thehollow portion for determining the center of gravity of the element. 5.The combination of claim 1 wherein the caps are of different colors.